Julius Erving: I look at the commercial success that happened with myself, with Larry Bird, with Converse and Spalding as an example, and the next wave with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. It didn’t just happen. There were shoulders we were standing on. There was Bill Russell, who’s been a dear friend for many, many years. Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and even the lesser-celebrated guys like Walt Bellamy, Lou Hudson, Pete Maravich. We were just trying to kind of give them credit and understand their struggle. They were always taking commercial flights. Before that, I mean, there were guys taking trains and buses. It is so much different now.
Tag: Julius Erving
Sources say Tollin and Gordon’s …
Sources say Tollin and Gordon’s awareness of Gervin heightened during the filming of The Last Dance, specifically by the trivia question they were asked during it: “Who was the only Hall of Famer to be a teammate of both Julius (‘Dr. J’) Erving and Michael Jordan?” Tollin was blown away by how much and how long Gervin’s influence carried during that era.
With interviews from legends like …
With interviews from legends like Erving, Jordan, Durant, Artis Gilmore, Clyde Drexler, Isiah Thomas, Jalen Rose, Jerry West and Magic Johnson, the documentary will offer a fresh perspective on an often-overlooked career and reveal rare vintage footage of the old ABA and an era before the NBA became the powerful global brand it is today.
Sources say Tollin and Gordon’s …
Sources say Tollin and Gordon’s awareness of Gervin heightened during the filming of The Last Dance, specifically by the trivia question they were asked during it: “Who was the only Hall of Famer to be a teammate of both Julius (‘Dr. J’) Erving and Michael Jordan?” Tollin was blown away by how much and how long Gervin’s influence carried during that era.
With interviews from legends like …
With interviews from legends like Erving, Jordan, Durant, Artis Gilmore, Clyde Drexler, Isiah Thomas, Jalen Rose, Jerry West and Magic Johnson, the documentary will offer a fresh perspective on an often-overlooked career and reveal rare vintage footage of the old ABA and an era before the NBA became the powerful global brand it is today.
NBA Hall of Famer Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving plays PGA Tour Champions TimberTech Pro-Am
A 15 handicap, Erving said his best round came during what he called a “boys trip around the globe.”
BOCA RATON, Fla. — As amazing as he was on the basketball court during his Hall of Fame career with the New York Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, Julius Erving is equally impressive as a partner on the golf course.
Erving played in Wednesday’s Pro-Am of the PGA Tour Champions TimberTech Championship with one of his hosts from the Hard Rock Hotel and pro Kenny Perry, a star in his own right with 10 victories on the over-50 circuit and 14 PGA Tour wins.
One of 54 players who qualified for the second event of the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs, Friday through Sunday at the Old Course at Broken Sound, Perry shot a bogey-free 66 with six birdies. But for him, the highlight of the day was playing with the man known as Dr. J, although you can just call him Julius.
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“It was awesome,” said Perry, who grew up and still lives in Kentucky. “I told him before we teed off that I’ve got four autographed jerseys (framed and) hung up on the wall. They’re beautiful, and one of them is his. He signed it for me. I’ve got him and Bo Jackson and Michael Jordan and Brett Favre.
“We laughed a lot and enjoyed our group. He’s just so down to earth. He doesn’t have any attitude, nothing, just a good old boy that you love talking to.”
Erving, 71, played from 1971-1987: five years in the American Basketball Association with the Nets and 11 years with the Sixers after the ABA merged with the NBA, in part because of his phenomenal talent and class. He won two championships with the Nets and one in Philly.
Erving started playing golf in his 30s
He didn’t start playing golf until he was in his 30s, but he’s made up for that by playing “once or twice a week.” He’s a member at Rivermont Golf Club in Alpharetta, Georgia near his home in Atlanta, where he never has trouble finding a game.
“My old coach with the Nets, Kevin Loughery, is a member there, my best friend is a member there and my insurance broker is a member there, so there’s a foursome,” said Erving, who grew up on Long Island, New York, not far from Bethpage Golf Course.
He wasn’t a golfer when he played for the Nets, so he missed out on playing Bethpage and other famous courses in the area, but “I’ve been able to visit all those places and I realized what I missed.
“I think the most beautiful thing about golf is you can play with anybody because of the handicap system. You can play with your children, you can play with your parents, you can play with your friends, you can play with your enemies. There’s nobody you can’t play golf with. Male, female, different tee boxes, seniors, juniors. Anybody can play this game if they decide that they want to play it. It’s an acquired skill, so anybody can learn to play.”
Now a 15 handicap, Erving said his best round came during what he called a “boys trip around the globe,” when he and his buddies played golf on six continents.
“I played so much golf and one day I had a really good day,” he said. “I shot 74 with a double-bogey on the last hole. So almost got par golf in there. My handicap at that time was probably about 9 or 10.”
Erving, Smoltz won Michael Jordan’s tournament
He also gets invited to play in celebrity events, such as Michael Jordan’s tournament in the Bahamas. Erving and former Braves pitcher John Smoltz, representing Atlanta, teamed to win the tournament in back-to-back years on the strength of Smoltz’s driving and Erving’s putting.
“We played his drive almost every time,” Erving explained. “He would putt first and then I would putt and generally knock it in after he missed because I have a good putting game. Michael wasn’t too happy.”
Erving hosted the Julius Erving Classic, which was held in 2018 and 2019 at Atlantic City Country Club in New Jersey and sponsored by the Borgata Hotel. But Erving said the pandemic forced its cancellation last year and this year. He hopes to hold the event, which benefits the Salvation Army, in 2022.
“It’s my pet charity,” Erving said. “They’ve been a part of my lifelong journey in and out of sports. I was a Salvation Army kid.”
Erving is big on loyalty. His two favorite NBA teams are the Nets and the 76ers, but he also likes the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Indiana Pacers. “I want to see the old ABA teams do well and keep the ABA alive,” said Erving of the franchises that were accepted into the NBA when the leagues merged.
He also has a loyal equipment sponsor – Ping. Erving said that when he retired from the 76ers in 1987, the Phoenix-based company “gifted him golf clubs for life.”
At 6-foot-6, Erving uses custom clubs that are 1½ inches longer than standard, so when they arrive, they are just what the Doctor ordered. And no matter how he plays with them, he always makes a good impression.
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Putting together the all-time great Philadelphia 76ers roster
Here is an all-time Philadelphia 76ers roster consisting of the franchise’s all-time greats.
The Philadelphia 76ers get set to begin the 2021-22 season on Wednesday, kicking off the 75th season in NBA history. The league has been honoring the all-time greats in the history of the game as they have been putting out lists of the top 75 to ever play.
Here at Sixers Wire, we are not going to put out a list of the top 75 Sixers ever, but we will put together our all-time Sixers roster consisting of all of the legendary players who have thrown on a Sixers uniform.
To put together such a team, you have to go back and sift through a lot of history. The Sixers are one of the more historic franchises in the NBA so this gives a lot of players to choose from.
Here are our picks for the all-time Sixers roster in their franchise history starting with the five starters and the 10 bench players for a total of 15 on the roster:
7 Sixers legends named to Top 75 players in NBA history list
There are seven members of the Philadelphia 76ers that have popped up on the Top 75 NBA players list.
The 2021-22 NBA season is the 75th anniversary of the league and therefore it is a time of celebration. It is time to look back at some of the game’s greats that made this league what it is today.
There have been so many incredible talents that have taken the hardwood and helped shape the NBA into what it is and there have been a lot that have represented the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are one of the league’s more historic franchises so it is important to honor their history.
To honor the 75th anniversary of the league, the folks over at HoopsHype put together a list of the Top 75 players in the history of the NBA. There are seven players who have popped up on the list who made a big impact not only on the NBA itself, but on the Sixers as a franchise as well.
Here are the seven Sixers who are named to the Top 75 players list according to HoopsHype:
A list of the top 10 assist leaders in Philadelphia 76ers franchise history
Here is a list of the top 10 assist leaders in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers.
With the doldrums of the offseason here in the NBA, now is the time to look back on history and acknowledge some greats in Philadelphia 76ers franchise history before looking ahead to the excitement of a new season.
In this edition, we look at some of the best passers in Sixers history: the guys who led the team on offense making sure everybody is in the right position so the offense can run smoothly.
Most of the players on this list are point guards, but some are bigger players, and some focused mostly on scoring while out on the floor. Here is the list of the top 10 assist leaders for the Sixers:
Julius Erving preaches patience to Sixers before making Ben Simmons decision
Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving preaches patience to the organization before making a decision on Ben Simmons.
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the more talented teams in the NBA led by their star duo, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The two have accomplished a lot individually, and, despite a clunky fit, have helped the Sixers become title contenders.
That clunky fit, however, has held them back in the playoffs. Simmons’ refusal to shoot the ball has been a problem on offense, and it is an issue when Philadelphia needs a score in the closing minutes.
That has caused the Sixers to field trade calls on Simmons, but franchise legend Julius Erving is preaching patience to Philadelphia before making a final decision.
Erving joined David Samson on “Nothing Personal with David Samson” and he said this about the Sixers and their situation:
So it’s been a long drought in Philadelphia. I think our fans are eagerly awaiting for the team to get over the top. There’s a lot of controversy this year with the Ben Simmons situation or whatever, but it seems like the team is staying pat with their big three of Joel, Ben and Tobias Harris. I think if they add pieces, get another year in with Doc Rivers, because last year was his first year on the job with the Sixers. Sometimes you need time with people to really know how to bring out the best in them.
The Sixers will be one of the top teams in the East again if they don’t make a Simmons deal, but the playoffs will be where this team will be judged. The 25-year-old three-time All-Star has to step up and help Embiid get the job done and help the Sixers get over the hump.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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